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Millie studied Katherine one last time, at first skeptical, then assured.“Now that I’ve met you, I would have to agree. So, with that said, I feel confident about moving forward.”

“Really?” Katherine’s eyes widened in surprise. “Don’t you want to look over my business plan?”

“Maybe later.” Millie had smiled just before her expression turned stern. “Now, don’t get me wrong. I wouldn’t hand my pride and joy over to just anyone. But from what I’ve heard about your plans to clean up the place, including the money you’re willing to invest, I think you’re the right person for the job. Not to mention, I can tell you need something to give you hope and a reason to get up in the morning just like it did for me when my heart was broken.”

“I don’t know what to say,” Katherine replied, her lip trembling with emotion. She’d come to Millie’s house hoping for good news, but she hadn’t allowed her hopes to get too high in case they couldn’t come to an agreement.

“Well, don’t say anything just yet because I have one condition. And it’s a big one.”

“Okay…” Katherine braced herself.

“You have to promise to keep the place closed on Sundays. Now, I know it’s fashionable for folks to brunch on the weekend or take the family out to eat after church. But it’s been a long-held tradition in all our family ventures, and I won’t see that tarnished by selfish ambition. Sunday belongs to God.”

Katherine smiled. She liked how the legacy of the little establishment meant so much to Millie.

“I promise,” she’d said, thrusting her hand out to shake on the deal. “I promise we’ll stay closed on Sundays.”

“Then consider it done.” Millie smiled, shaking on the bargain. “Now, let’s finish our tea and have a few more biscuits before we call the suits back in. I hear you have some big ideas for the menu, and I wanna hear all about ‘em.”

Remembering that first meeting with Millie always put a smile on Katherine’s face. That Sunday had been a great Sunday. Along with all the other Sundays that followed when she andMillie would meet to talk about running a business and how to keep customers coming back.

Then later, when their conversations became more about family, friends, and everything in between, that’s when Katherine looked forward to Sundays because those were all great Sundays to remember.

But this Sunday was very different.

This was a time Katherine wanted to forget and a time she knew Matthew never would. There would be no joy. No excitement for things to come. And for Matthew, memories of this time would always be shrouded in pain.

Since the accident, the entire town and life itself seemed different. Quieter. Even the once lively atmosphere of the diner wasn’t quite the same. The hum of happy chatter was gone, and the atmosphere was heavy and somber. Conversations between customers were often about Julia and Matthew and the accident that took Julia’s life.

Although Katherine knew plenty of Windsong residents had attended the annual gathering at Fraser Farms the night Julia gave her last report, she was still surprised to see so many affected by the accident.

Julia must’ve made quite an impression on the locals that night. So much so that it made Katherine feel guilty for disliking what little she knew of her former neighbor. And soon she found herself desperate to escape whenever she approached tables where the conversation included Matthew, the accident, or anything remotely related to his situation.

“How can you not feel bad for that sweet, innocent child?” she’d heard Florence Evans say to her friends one day about Libby Brandon. “God willing, sheneverfinds out what happened that night. Can you imagine learning such horrible things about your own mother?”

“Well, think about Officer Brandon,” another voice added. “He was there to witness it. God knows he didn’t deserve to see such a thing. Something like that’ll stay with him forever.”

As the other women around the table agreed, they added comments like, “It’s a crying shame” and “What an awful way to learn the truth.”

Since she couldn’t hide from every story, Katherine not only knew details about the accident, but she also knew Matthew had left town.

The local newspaper even reported that the accident was‘a tragic loss for the community when up-and-coming reporter Julia Brandon and respected WDSG station manager Grant Adams were killed in a freak one-vehicle accident’.”

While another story ran on KOMO News in Seattle.

“Former Kinsey Police Officer Matthew Brandon will escort his wife Julia Brandon to her final resting place, just outside of Seattle, while his new colleagues in Windsong are investigating the possibility of a second vehicle involved.”

Eventually, Katherine started to hide out in the diner’s kitchen as much as possible. Just like she was now hiding on the other side of her back door, dreading the moment she’d come face to face with Matthew again.She didn’t even want to look across the lawn and see the Brandon’s house. But her beloved garden needed attention, and her overgrown grass desperately needed mowing.

Still, Katherine wasn’t ready to see Matthew. She didn’t know what to say or how to act. And most of all, she didn’t want to see him and feel the same feelings she’d been fighting since the day they met.

Stepping outside and closing the door behind her, Katherine heard the same eerie silence that started just after the accident, and she was sure Matthew wasn’t there. Taking a few calming breaths, she willed her body to relax.

“Lord, give me strength,” she said as a hearty “Amen!”came from the corner of her yard.

Startled and clutching her chest, Katherine looked over and spotted Pastor Peter making his way across the lawn. “Geez, you scared me!”

“Sorry about that.”